Gate for waterways.



No. 868,489. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907. D. W. ROSS.

GATE FOR WATERWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1907.

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No. 868,489. PATENTED OGTQ15, 1907. D; W. ROSS.

GATE FOR WATERWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 12 1907.

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PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

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D. W. ROSS. GATE FOR WATERWAYS.- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1907.

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PATENT OFFICE.

DOUGLAS W. ROSS, OF BOISE, IDAHO.

GATE FOR WATERWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed January 12, 1907. Serial No. 351,967.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS W. Ross, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boise, in the county of Ada and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates for Waterways; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to slide gates or yalves for waterways, such forexample as reservoir outlets, canal headgates, wasteway gates, taps inpipe lines, and water gates in general, automatic or otherwise.

More particularly stated it comprises a balanced gate, this term beingintended to imply a gate in which all external forces tending to causeor resist its movement are practically in equilibrium.

The invention has for its object therefore, the construction of a gate,for either high or low pressure, so balanced that only a small degree ofpower is required for its operation.

As a further object it contemplates a simplification of the actuatingand regulating mechanisms employed in such hydraulic structures, areduction in the cost of construction, installation and maintenance;also greater general etliciency.

It furthermore specially provides against leakage, undue wear of themoving parts, and the very serious results incident to the vibrationheretofore common to gates of this character during passage of watertherethrough, especially when working under a high head.

As a further object this invention providesmeans whereby the velocity ofwater through the gate may at all times be absolutely controlled, thusguarding against the injurious consequences of sediment passing insuspension, which, under undue velocity frequently cuts out the bearingsof ordinary gates, thus causing leakage.

It also provides specially designed and arranged gate-actuatingcounterweights whereby the variable weight of a column or columns ofwater may be utilized to overbalance and open the gate.

Generally speaking, these results are accomplished by means of two plainsliding cast iron gates, rigidly connected back to back by suitablestruts, the whole moving vertically in an iron guide-frame properly setand sealed in masonry. A suitable counterbalance or counterbalances forthe gates which employ variable and controllable bodies of water as thelifting power. And means for automatically packing said sliding gatesagainst leakage, by agency of outwardly pressed packing stripsinterposed between them and their guide frames.

The invention will be hereinafter particularly described and pointed outin the claims following.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this application andwhereon corresponding numerals l refer to the same parts in the severalfigures: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 11,Fig. 3, through the gate members forming part of my invention. Fig. 2 isalso a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 1 on the line 22thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the invention taken on the line 33,Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view representing in side elevation amodified form of spring pressed packing strip, Figs. 5, 6 and 7 arediagrammatic plan views on a reduced scale, illustrating the applicationof this invention to a reservoir outlet, a canal headgate, and a tap ina pipe line respectively, and Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical longitudinalsections of gate members embodying modified forms of toggle levers foractuating the packing strips.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1, 1 indicatetwo sliding gate-members constituting a double structure, preferablymade of cast iron and arranged to move vertically. As here shown, gates1, 1 present plain smooth outer surfaces, but'upon the reverse or insideare reinforced by standing ribs 2, 2, for the pin-pose of strengtheningthem. They are also rigidly and positively connected back to back bystruts 3, 3, 3, the gates and struts adapted to move bodily up and downin a guide frame 4, 4, 4, 4 also of metal properly set in masonry, andso arranged that said double gate always presentsto the pressure ofwater equal and opposite areas, thus balancing the effect of the waterpressure and practically eliminating same as a factor to be considered.

Attached to each gate member 1, 1, and passing over suitable pulleys 5,5 above, are cables or chains 6, 6 secured to opposite sides of acounterbalance for each gate, which arrangement practically eliminatesthe weight of the gates as a factor to be considered in their operation.Thus the effect of both external forces, water pressure and weight,which ordinarily tend to recounterbalances each comprise a tank 7 whichmay be augmented by weights 8 secured beneath said tanks as shown, orplaced within the tank if preferred. Above the counterbalancing tanks 7are valved supply pipes 9, by means of which a suflicient weight ofwater may be introduced at any time to overbalance the weight of thegates and cause them to rise. At or near the bottom of tanks 7 is anopen discharge cock 10 of smaller area than delivery pipes 9, wherebythe tanks are drained, before the gates can be permitted to gravitate toa closed or normal position.

The gate members 1, 1 present a smooth outer or Water surface, but forpurposes of strength, are reinforced upon the inner faces by rectangularflanges, as shown, and each gate member as a whole is formed upon aslight downward taper so as to insure a slight wedge action in seating,as a partial safeguard against leakage. An additional provision againstleakage is furnished by sist movement may be placed in equilibrium.These vertically arranged and automatically adjustable packing strips 11at the sides of each gate member 1, bearing upon the guide frame 4- atthe corners of the gate well. These strips 11 may be made of bronze orother suitable material, they are arranged in pairs at opposite sides ofeach gate member, and are constantly pressed outwardly in oppositedirections by toggle-levers 12, 12 interposed between the strips 110iopposite gate members. Each set of toggles 12, 12 are pivotallyconnected to and unitormly spaced by vertically arranged lilting rods 13which in turn are slidingly mounted in the struts 3, 3, 3, while saidrods and their respective toggles are constantly subjected to an upwardtension by agency of small variable counterweights 14 attached to cables15 passing over pulleys 16 and secured to the upper end of said rods.

Rising from each gate member 1 is a lilting stem 17, which, as usual, isthreaded upon its upper end and provided with an ordinary hand-wheelrevolubly mounted in a fixed pedestal or other support upon the masonrytop of the gate-well (said wheel, pedestal and top oi gate-well notshown, being of usual and well known construction).

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified means for actuating the packing strips11, comprising a simple leaf spring 18, one or more of which may berecessed into the sides of the gate members 1 ior normally forcing thesaid strips 11 into contact with the guide frame 4.

Similarly, many other changes may be made and adopted without in theleast departing from the spirit of my invention hereinafter claimed; forexample, a compression spring surrounding rods 13 with a fixed supportmay be employed for actuating the toggles 12, in place of thecounterweight 14, or, if desired, a still simpler method ofaccomplishing the same results troduced to tanks 7 from a supply pipe orpipes 9 augments weights 8 until the gates and attending parts areoverbalanced, whereupon the latter are readily lifted by action of theusual hand-wheels above, which latter thereupon serve to retain them inany predetermined position. The water in tanks 7 now draining offthrough cocks 10 again disturbs the balance, and permits the gates toclose by gravity when released by a reverse action of the hand-wheel orwheels aforesaid. Thus, when open and in operation, practically allresistance to movement of the gates due to the weight thereof iseliminated as above, and, it will be l'urther noted, the frictionordinarily due to pressure of the passing head of water is likewiseovercome, so that all tendency of the gate to vibrate is destroyed,owing to the fact that any vibratory motion tending to develop in oneopening will be counteracted by that tending to develop in the oppositeopening. And, in the meantime the individual members 1, 1 arecontinually guarded against leakage by the automatic action 01' packingstrips 11, as

hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention I claim as follows:

1. A gate for waterways, in combination with means for counter-balancingall external forces tending to cause 01' resist its movement,substantially as described.

2. A gate for water-w: in combination with means for counteracting allfriction due to water pressure, and means for counterbalancing theweight of the gate, substantiz'llly as described.

2%. In a gate for waterways, the combination with individual gatemembers of equal area counterbalanced as against the water pressure, ofstruts for rigidly connecting said members back to back, substantiallyas described.

4. in a slide gate for waterways, the combination with individual gatemembers rigidly connected back to back,

and means for counterbalancing said gate, substantially as described.

In a slide gate for waterways, the combination with oppositely arrangedand rigidly connected gate members, of a variable counterbalance forsaid gate, substantially as described (3. 111 a slide gate forwaterways, the combination with oppositely arranged and rigidlyconnected gate members, of a counter-balancing tank for lifting saidgate, substantially as described.

7. in a slide gate for waterways, the combination with acounter-balancing tank for lifting said gate, of a supply pipe for saidtank, an outlet of less area than the supply, and means for sustainingthe gate in any predetermined position, substantially as described.

S. In a balanced slide gate for waterways. the combina tion with itssupporting frame, of outwardly pressed packing strips carried by saidgate, for automatically sealing the gate against leakage, substantiallyas described.

9. In a balanced slide gate for waterways, the combination with itssupporting frame. of side packing strips inter posed between said gateand frame, and means for continuously projecting said strips in oppositedirections, substantially as described.

10. In a double gate for waterways, the combination with its supportingframe, of individual gate members, or positely arranged packing stripsinterposed between said members and the frame, and a toggle lever1"orcontinuously projecting said strips to seal the structure againstleakage, substantially as described.

11. In a double gate for waterways, the combination with its supportingframe, 01' means for automatically sealing the individual gate membersagainst leakage comprising yielding packing strips, carried by saidmembers, toggle levers interposed between said strips, and a weight formaintaining tension upon said levers, substantially as described.

12. In a double gate for waterways, the combination with packing stripsyieldingly mounted in each gate menr ber, toggle levers interposedbetween opposing packing strips, and a counterweight for maintainingtension upon said levers to project their respective packing strips inopposite directions. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature, in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DOUGLAS W. ROSS.

Witnesses F. L. CAYIS.

FRANK C. HORN.

